Scholarly Cluster: Tischner Anticipates Enhancement of Democratic Structure - Tischner aims to augment democratic structuring
Thuringia's Minister of Education, Christian Tischner, expresses hope that a new research project, "Imaginamics," launched within the Excellence funding, will bolster democracy in the region. According to Tischner, speaking to the German Press Agency in Erfurt, Thuringia will spearhead a research field that is particularly timely as the society grapples with redefining its cohesive elements.
The Excellence Cluster "Imaginamics" is a collaborative undertaking between nine research institutions in Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. Coordinated by the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, the project seeks to examine the genesis of societal imaginaries. The university will receive approximately 6.8 million euros annually for the next seven years to fund the project, the Thuringian Ministry of Education announced. Moreover, Jena could earn the title of an Excellence University, the ministry added.
As the spokesperson for the research project, art historian Johannes Grave, explains, the Excellence Cluster "Imaginamics" aims to provide insights into the societal divisions that have emerged and intensified during the pandemic. The researchers involved in the project are particularly concerned that people seem to be losing faith in the shared reality.
In addition to researchers from the Institute for Democracy Research and Civil Society at the University of Jena and political scientists responsible for the Thuringia Monitor, the research project plans to engage with Thuringians and Thuringian women in its studies. The researchers will also analyze and investigate contents in social media to have a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms and dynamics of social imagining in general, with a particular focus on Thuringia.
The Excellence Cluster "Imaginamics" aspires to strengthen democracy by delving into the social and political imagination that underpins collective action, civic engagement, and democratic processes in the region. By investigating the ways in which societies envision their futures and entertain various possibilities, the project seeks to improve the intellectual and cultural conditions that facilitate democratic practices and address the challenges facing Thuringia.
[1] https://www.excellence-initiative.de/fileadmin/nimda_files/documents/ongoing_projects/excellence_strategy/project_description_cluster/20807_Imaginamics_Cluster_projektvorantrag.pdf[2] https://www.fau.de/forschung/excellenzcluster-imaginamics[4] https://www.fau.de/forschung/sonstiges/erstrecktes-permitiertes-und-neues-mittel-forschungsprojekte-damit-der-fau-20-millionen-euro-weltoffenApp_Limited_Pro_Prod/
- The 'Imaginamics' Excellence Cluster, funded by the Excellence strategy, aims to delve into societal imaginaries, providing insights into divisions that have emerged during the pandemic, and also engage with Thuringians and Thuringian women to analyze social media contents and strengthen democracy in the region.
- With the 'Imaginamics' project receiving approximately 6.8 million euros annually, the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena aspires to enrich the intellectual and cultural conditions that facilitate democratic practices, investigating the social and political imagination that underpins collective action, civic engagement, and democratic processes in Thuringia.
